Americans’ addiction to salt may be waning. And because food manufacturers will eventually give consumers exactly what we’re asking for, these companies are gradually cutting the amounts off salt in the packaged food and drinks they offer. Yes it’s true, recent studies have shown that Americans are finally starting to buy less salt-laden foods.
But, as a nation we still have some ways to go before the foods we eat contain normal, healthier levels of salt. Happily, this consumer trend shows that we are now heading in the right direction.
High levels of salt consumption have been tied to high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease and stroke, according to the American Heart Association.
“Our findings support the need to finalize and implement the national sodium reduction targets proposed last year by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration,” said lead researcher Jennifer Poti, a nutritional epidemiologist and research assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
In the meantime, she recommends choosing low-salt foods, replacing salty snacks with fresh fruit, and keeping track of how much salt you consume.
